Timeless
by DuckieBubbles
Summary: Five years after escaping Aperture, Chell is tasked with Wheatley's desperate request to go back in time to stop him from ever becoming a robot. However, there are some things in the past that Chell was never prepared for.
1. Chapter 1

"Hello. It's been a while. I did a little digging and found your number. I just wanted to let you know that there's something back at Aperture that you might like. And trust me, you'll absolutely love it."

Chell let her phone drop onto her bed with a soft thump as the other person ended the call.

She hadn't heard that voice in years and truthfully, she'd hoped to never hear it again.

It was unmistakably the same voice that had haunted her _there_ and her dreams ever since, but Chell couldn't help but notice that her tone sounded a little different. Unusual, even. For once there was no sign of malice in her voice, only what sounded like... Humour?

In Chell's eyes, that did not help her case at all. Knowing GLaDOS' sense of humour, going back there would lie somewhere around 'microwaving a fork' on a list of good ideas. However, as much as she'd hate to admit it, the curious side of Chell couldn't help but wonder what exactly GLaDOS was planning. Surely she wouldn't go to all that trouble trying to lure Chell back to Aperture just to kill her... Right? Well, that wouldn't have been terribly out of character five years ago, however Chell hadn't bothered (or tried to kill) GLaDOS in years. She'd have no reason to try and kill Chell now other than a petty grudge, which didn't really seem her style at all.

Shaking the whole ordeal from her head, she slipped her jacket on, put her grocery list and phone in her jeans pocket and headed out.

She wandered around the town market for a while, picking up her groceries and silently greeting the other townsfolk as she went. She rather liked her new, peaceful life. As she reached into her pocket to find her shopping list, her fingers brushed across her phone and felt it vibrating. Making a mental note to turn it off silent when she got home, she answered the call.

"H-"

"Okay look. I know you don't want to come back. I don't blame you for that. But I've got a surprise for you. Not a fake, tragic surprise and not a surprise that'll try to kill you either. Well, not _this_ time. As far as I'm concerned we're still allies, and trust me, you'll love it."

"Chell? Is that you? I-"

The call cut off, leaving Chell stunned once more. There'd been another voice that time. A voice she also knew all too well. If _he_ was there, then that could only mean…

He was the surprise.

She'd brought him back from space for one reason or another and she wanted Chell to see. GLaDOS was right. As far as Wheatley was involved, the two of them were allies.

In that moment, every logical thought in Chell's mind went right out of the window. She only knew one thing: she had to see him. Maybe to take her anger out on him for everything he had put her through, maybe to see why exactly GLaDOS had brought him from space, or maybe even just to hear the end of his sentence, she couldn't tell, but she was suddenly consumed with the burning desire to simply be there. To see him. Before she even realised it, her body was moving by itself.

She ran through the town as fast as she could, either totally oblivious to or ignoring the curious looks she was receiving from the townsfolk. She ran through the surrounding fields. She kept running and running until she came to the edge of a vast, golden wheat field. Then she stopped.

Chell looked over the field, watching the wheat sway gracefully with the same breeze that was running through her hair. She looked at the beautiful, blue sky and felt the sun gently warming her face. In the last five years she'd come to take it all for granted, but there was something about being there, back in that field, that made her remember the first time she saw it all; the first time she felt it all. And now she was going back.

After several minutes of walking through the wheat, which was just as long and unruly as it had been five years ago, she finally came to a clearing. Although the weather was warm and the sun was still shining down, she felt a shiver down her spine at what she saw.

There, in all its terrifying glory, was that rusted metal shed.

Despite its fragile appearance, the shed door did not budge when Chell tried to open it. Most people would have put it down to the sheer amount of rust that covered the hinges, however Chell knew better. She knocked sharply three times and took a step back, hearing the sound of hollow metal echo around the field. After a moment, the door swung open to reveal a very modern looking elevator.

She hesitated for a moment, contemplating whether to step forward back into Aperture, or step backwards and not look back.

After some careful consideration, Chell took a deep breath and stepped inside. She'd made it this far, after all.

The door swung shut and Chell watched her last, fleeting chance to run disappear with the light.


	2. Chapter 2

Chell wasn't completely sure if it was butterflies in her stomach or simply how quickly the elevator was descending. Everything from the familiar hum of electricity in the air to the way the facility felt almost alive beneath her feet was making memories flood back into her mind at a speed that would put the elevator to shame. There was one thing that memories alone couldn't quite recreate: The pure terror that you could only feel by looking directly into GLaDOS' glowing, amber optic. Yep, definitely butterflies.

"So you actually came," GLaDOS said.

"Chell! You came back! I uh… I want to say that I'm really, truly, very—"

"Here's my surprise." She swivelled around to glare at Wheatley, who seemed to shrink under her icy gaze. "You probably already guessed it though, considering that _somebody_ ruined it."

Chell withheld a gasp when she saw Wheatley perched on a table not far from GLaDOS. He was far more beaten and broken than the last time she saw him, and Chell could only guess that five years in space wasn't the only cause.

"An eternity in space seemed good enough at the time, but after some time to…Well, reflect on what he did to me and my facility, I reconsidered. I thought you'd like to join in on the fun. After all, he did try to kill you all those times."

Wheatley at least had the decency to look ashamed at this.

"L-listen, I'm really sorry. I'm sorry I was such a monster and did all of those things to you. I really am. I don't expect you to completely forgive me, straight away, no hard feelings, but how about maybe… Less hard feelings? Slightly softer feelings?" He looked up at Chell hopefully.

"Ooh, she looks _mad_ ," said GLaDOS in a sing-song voice.

"Oh no no no, don't be mad, please, don't be mad. I mean I don't blame you, but—"

"Oh _shut up_."

GLaDOS swung her mobile pincer and knocked Wheatley to the floor. Chell walked over to where he was now rolling and knelt down next to him. She pulled on his handles so she could look him in the optic.

"I know I'm in no position to ask anything of you," Wheatley began quietly, "but I can't handle this anymore. I'm begging you, please… Please go back in time and stop me from ever becoming a robot."

Chell recoiled, her face twisted with confusion for only a moment before falling back to it's usual stoic state.

"Why?" She asked softly.

Wheatley's optic widened upon hearing her voice. Even GLaDOS seemed mildly surprised.

"I, uh, well, if I never became a robot, I wouldn't have been there to kill you, say all of those horrible, horrible things or punch you both down a pit. I was, uh, thinking that maybe you'll be able to forgive me if I never did that stuff in the first place."

"No moron to ever destroy my facility? Oh I'm all for that," GLaDOS said bitterly.

Chell paused for a moment to think.

True, if he'd never become a robot he wouldn't have been able to do all of that stuff, but in a strange way it was all of that stuff that lead to her finally being set free. Plus, who knows what kind of effect that would have on the rest of the world? But then Chell looked down at Wheatley and immediately wished she hadn't. His cracked optic was full of regret and sorrow and oh, he was in such a bad state. Chell actually felt sorry for him. She looked up at GLaDOS, back at Wheatley, then gave a sharp nod.

 _What's the worst that could happen?_ She asked herself, choosing to ignore the many, many answers that immediately crossed her mind.

If Wheatley had real eyes, he'd have probably burst into tears right then and there.

"Thank you," he said, his voice truly filled with gratitude. "Uh, one question though, do either of you know _how_ to travel through time?"

"Oh you really are a moron."

Wheatley flinched as GLaDOS let out an exasperated sigh.

"I, uh, just thought that, you know, this being Aperture and having all of those, um, science-y… Things, there'd be some way about it…"

"Well if you _must_ know, there is."

"R… Really?"

"Do you really expect me _not_ to have a fully functional time machine?"

"I… Uh…"

"Here, let me set it up." The sound of beeping filled the air. "I built this thing _years_ ago. Kept it as a sort of memento. I'd explain it to you but it'd probably go in through one audio receptor and straight out of the other. And… Done."

GLaDOS lowered a strange looking machine into her chamber. It was covered with all kinds of wires, lights and buttons, with a screen displaying a multitude of ones and zeros that Chell didn't understand.

"All you have to do is press that button. I know how much you like pressing buttons. You'll have a few months in the past, and then it'll automatically bring you back. That should be more than enough time to stop that little idiot from becoming a robot."

Chell nodded. She looked over at Wheatley, who looked back with a pleading expression, then at GLaDOS, who remained rather indifferent.

Then she pressed the button.

At first, she was unsure if it had worked and was almost waiting for GLaDOS to taunt her about actually believing that she had a time machine. However, after a few seconds, Chell began to feel a light breeze circling around her, and as she looked around, she noticed everything around her warping and shifting. The breeze grew steadily stronger and stronger until she could no longer keep her eyes open. The wind shifted slightly to push against her back, which provided enough force to knock her off her feet. Her eyes still firmly shut, she reached out her arms to brace for impact, which came much sooner than she expected. The wind shut off very suddenly, as if she'd been flung directly at the kill switch.

Needless to say, Chell was rather surprised when she opened her eyes to find herself pressed up against the door of a completely dark room.


	3. Chapter 3

The door swung open as Chell was feeling around in the darkness for a handle, causing her to go toppling to the floor. She looked back in the direction from which she fell and saw a rather confused woman looking back at her. Chell could have sworn that she'd seen this woman somewhere before.

"Oh my, are you alright?" She reached out her hand and helped Chell to her feet. "What on Earth were you doing in a cupboard, my dear?"

"I'm, uh, not too sure myself," Chell replied.

"I didn't see you come in, how long were you in there?"

"A few seconds, really."

The lady looked at Chell curiously.

"A few seconds? Well, it's a rather odd thing to come in here for. After all, the only thing I keep in _that_ cupboard is…" She trailed off, her eyes widening. "Goodness, you're not from another time, are you?"

"I… Uh… How did you… I mean…"

The woman laughed, clapping her hands together. "So my invention did work!"

"Your invention?"

"My time machine! I haven't had chance to try it out yet, but it looks like it's working fine! How wonderful!"

The woman had a twinkle in her eye as she clasped Chell's hands, however upon noticing the latter's surprised expression, she paused.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I never introduced myself. My name is Caroline, I'm the CEO's very own assistant. You are?"

"Uh, Chell."

"Well it's lovely to meet you, Chell!"

"Y-you too."

So this was Caroline. Chell studied her face closely. Caroline's eyes looked as though they'd seen unspeakable things, however her entire face read 'sweet, middle-aged woman'. There was absolutely no sign of GLaDOS' malice.

 _Being forced into a computer against your will really does a lot to a woman,_ Chell supposed.

"So, Chell, I assume you'll be wanting to stay in our time for a little while, correct?"

Chell nodded.

"Excellent! In that case, you can stay with me when we're not at Aperture. I'd quite like to observe the effects of time travel, and if… Oh, I don't know… Your left leg decides to go back to your own time in the middle of the night, I can at least try to help you out."

"Is… Is that likely?" Chell exclaimed, her eyes widening.

Caroline laughed. "Oh no, dear. I was just being hypothetical. I hope." She spoke the last part under her breath somewhat. "Speaking of which, you never told me what time you come from."

"I'm from the future. Well, the future from here, anyway."

"Is Aperture Science still around?"

"Yes."

"Have you met me before? Future me, that is."

"Sort of, I guess."

"Sort of?"

Chell cursed internally.

"I… Uh… I saw a picture of you once. A portrait. Oh, and you were on some of those pre-recorded messages down there too."

"You found those? I thought we sealed that area off _years_ ago."

"You did. It's… A long story."

"I won't press you for details then. Last thing we need is some kind of time paradox or something messing things up."

Chell nodded appreciatively.

"It'll be best if we don't tell any of the others that you're from the future, not even Mr. Johnson," she stated. "Though speaking of Mr. Johnson, why don't we go and get him to officially add you as an employee?"

"And he'll take me on? Just like that?"

"He will if _I_ ask him to." Caroline winked. "They don't call me the backbone of Aperture for nothing, you know."

* * *

"Caroline! Welcome back! Has my order…" Cave looked up at his assistant. "She's not a health and safety inspector, is she?" He barked, narrowing his eyes at Chell.

"No no, not at all. She's… Uh… A family friend."

"Why didn't you say so!" He roared. "Any friend of Caroline's is a friend of mine! The name's Cave Johnson. I run the place."

"It's nice to meet you, sir. I'm Chell."

Cave shook her hand very firmly.

"So what brings you down here?"

"I… Uh... I was wondering if maybe... I could work here for a little while?"

"My suggestion, I think she'd be an excellent addition to the team," Caroline interjected.

Cave sighed. "Caroline, you know we're going through a rough time here. We can't even afford _test subjects_ at the moment, let alone a new employee."

"But you said it yourself, employees are dropping like flies. Plus Chell's staying with me so she really only needs pocket money."

Cave looked at Chell, and then back at Caroline. He rolled his eyes with a sigh.

"Fine, but only because it's you asking. I'll put her with Stephens."

Caroline nodded. "Yes sir, Mr. Johnson."

Cave grinned. "Welcome to Aperture Science, Chell."

"Thank you, sir," Chell replied gratefully.

Cave turned to his assistant.

"Anyway, Caroline. About my order?"

"It should be here any time this week. But sir, are you sure it was a good idea?"

"Of course. I billed it to Black Mesa."

She sighed. "Not what I meant."

"Oh Caroline, don't worry so much. It'll be fine."

"If you say so, sir," she said apprehensively.

"Atta girl. Now, why don't you go and show Chell to Stephens?"

"Yes sir, Mr. Johnson."

* * *

Although Chell was used to the facility looking rather run down, it still surprised her to find it in such a state. The paint was chipping and the floor was considerably scuffed in places by what appeared to be years of constant use. GLaDOS had never told Chell exactly how far back in time she was going, however Chell vaguely recognised the metallic, silver-grey walls that surrounded them. It definitely wasn't the facility she knew, but she'd seen this place before.

"Pay no mind to the decor," Caroline said as they walked, "we're long overdue moving floors, but Mr. Johnson _insists_ that updating his pre-recorded messages every month or so is just as good as redecorating."

Caroline led Chell through the labyrinth of hallways and catwalks, their footsteps echoing as they walked.

"So, what's this Mr. Stephens like?" Chell asked, breaking the silence.

"He can be a little… How should I say… _Carefree,_ sometimes, but he's absolutely lovely, I promise."

Chell followed Caroline around one last sharp corner before coming to an office door.

"It's really not that far from my office here, so you're always welcome to come over if you need me."

Chell nodded appreciatively.

Caroline knocked sharply on the door three times before entering.

Sat at one of the desks was a man with short, brown hair who looked around the same age as Chell.

"Mornin' Miss Caroline! What can I do for ya?" He asked cheerily, peering at the two ladies though his glasses.

Chell's stomach sunk.

"This is Chell, she'll be working with you for a little while," Caroline explained.

He jumped to his feet and ran over to Chell, shaking her hand very enthusiastically.

"Nice to meet you, Chell! My name is Wheatley Stephens, I look forward to working with you!"

"Likewise," she replied, although the chill down her spine implied otherwise.


	4. Chapter 4

That afternoon, Chell and Wheatley's office was filled only with the sound of keyboard taps.

"So, uh Chell. You're a natural at this. Have you typed up test reports before?"

Tap tap tap.

"I'll… I'll take that as a 'maybe'."

Tap tap tap.

"Right."

Wheatley adjusted his necktie and got back to his own work.

Chell sighed. She couldn't quite figure out why she was giving the guy such a hard time. Yes, it was Wheatley, the accent and the mannerisms didn't let her forget that, but it wasn't the Wheatley she knew. This was Wheatley _Stephens._

But _still._

She glanced up at him. He was humming a little tune and typing along to the rhythm and, as if he'd sensed Chell's gaze, he looked up and gave a cheery wave. She stared at him wide-eyed, unsure at how one person could be so energetic. It was then she noticed that the room was silent. No keyboard taps. Chell cursed inwardly.

"It's pretty cool, isn't it? All this technology, I mean."

He stared at Chell as he leant over his monitor, his eyes sparkling with expectancy.

"Uh… Yeah." Her eyes flitted back towards her computer screen.

"Computers," he sighed, "they're bloody amazing! Like… Like little boxes of magic. And they're absolutely everywhere now! Who knows, a computer could even run the _facility_ soon!"

Chell raised an eyebrow.

"I mean… That's just, uh, my opinion, anyway…" He trailed off, fidgeting with his hands a little.

A few more painfully awkward seconds went by.

"So we've got that day off tomorrow, huh?"

"Yep."

"Got… Got any plans?"

Chell paused, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. "Nope."

"Ah. Okay."

Chell looked back at her computer screen. She managed to get exactly one word typed when-

"I'm gonna go get a coffee," Wheatley announced. "Would you like one?" He asked after a crippling silence.

"I'm good, thanks." Her tone was stronger than she'd anticipated, causing her words to have an effect rather like an unexpected gunshot. She wasn't sure if it was her imagination or not, but Wheatley seemed to deflate a little.

"Oh." There was a crack in his voice. "O-okay, that's fine."

He left the room, closing the door behind him.

 _Crap._ Chell placed her head in her hands. _What have I done?_

Chell had half a mind to shout after him, to apologise, perhaps, but a feeling like a rock in her stomach stopped her. She'd trusted him once, and that had ended _wonderfully,_ clearly.

"Hey, Chell?"

Chell jumped. Caroline was stood over her computer wearing an awfully solemn look.

"I just passed Mr. Stephens in the hallway. He looked a bit of a state. Did something happen?"

Chell sighed. "I… I snapped at him."

Caroline tilted her head ever so slightly to the side.

"You snapped at him? You've barely known him a day."

"I know, I know. He just… He reminds me of someone I know. In my time. The voice, the way he acts, the… Everything, really. They're pretty much the same person, but…"

Caroline tried to read Chell's face.

"But they're not the same person. You know that, right?"

"Yes, I… Sort of."

"Then why not give him a chance? Maybe if you get to know him, he'll stop reminding you of this other person."

"Maybe. Yeah, maybe."

Caroline nodded.

"Good luck, my dear," she said before slipping out of the door.

Chell tapped her fingers on the desk in front of her restlessly. Her and social interaction usually went together about as well as super-glue and cookies, and trying to get a word in around Wheatley often proved to be just as daunting a task. And besides, even if she _did_ manage to get a word in, what would she say? What would he-

The creak of the door snapped Chell out of her daze and prompted her to leap to her feet.

"Wheat-"

"Hey Chell, I was, uh, thinking… Why don't we… I mean, Wouldn't it be nice if…" He tapped his fingers together, refusing to meet her eye. "What I'm trying to say is… Would you like to get a coffee with me tomorrow? Since, you know, you said you had no plans and-"

"Yeah. That sounds nice."

"Wait, really?"

Chell shrugged. "Yeah, it'll be fun."

A smile slowly spread across Wheatley face, growing and growing until it was as large and radiant as the sun itself.

For the rest of the day, Wheatley had a glow about him. He, rather impossibly, seemed a little taller, and the songs he was humming as he worked became more upbeat.

Everything about him still made Chell's stomach twist and turn, but somehow, seeing him like this made her happy.

"Chell, my dear!" Caroline was, for the second time that day, stood in the doorway. "I'm going home now, are you ready?"

Chell glanced at the clock on her desk, taken aback by the time.

She headed over to meet Caroline. "I'll, uh, see you tomorrow then," she said to Wheatley, who immediately did a fantastic impression of a tomato.

"Y-Yeah, c-can't wait!"

Chell closed the door behind her and followed Caroline.

"A date with Stephens, eh?" Caroline nudged Chell with her elbow.

"Leave it," she replied, unable to hide the grin that was spreading across her face.


	5. Chapter 5

"Oh no no no _no!_ " Caroline exclaimed, "you are _not_ going on a date dressed like that!"

Chell glanced down at her faithful hoodie and jeans, then back up at Caroline.

"It's not really a _date_ , and what's wrong with-"

"It's a date," Caroline wagged her finger, "and you are absolutely dressing for it."

"It's only to get to know him, I'm just following your advice," Chell said with a shrug.

"That's not the attitude! You need to _woo_ him!"

"I… Would rather not."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "Wait here."

Caroline ran into her bedroom and Chell grew increasingly concerned with every crash that followed.

"I'm not a big fan of all these flashy, neon colours everyone's wearing," came a muffled shout from the closet, "so I've not got anything terribly recent, I'm afraid."

Chell thought back to the horrendous, multi-coloured explosion that was 80s fashion and felt tremendous relief wash over her.

"Here," Caroline finally emerged from her room, "try this!"

She threw a dress to Chell, ushered her into the room and firmly closed the door.

Chell was never a fan of dresses; they were a little too impractical and often far too frilly for her tastes, however she had to admit that this one, a fairly plain button-up with a neat collar, wasn't too bad. She pushed the door open a sliver, allowing Caroline's eager eyes to catch a glimpse of her outfit.

"I've not seen _that_ dress for years, but wow! It really suits you!" Caroline exclaimed, pulling the door open wide.

"Thanks, uh," she pulled at the skirt as if to elongate it, "but isn't a little too formal for going out for coffee?"

"Nonsense, my dear, you look lovely. Now, I've got the perfect heels for that dress lying around somewhere."

"Uh, we don't have to do heels if-"

Caroline picked up a pair of plain, black heels and forced them into Chell's arms. "We're doing heels."

As with dresses, Chell was also not terribly fond of heels. Though the long fall boots had made the sensation of balancing around on her toes a rather familiar one, heels were far less stable, much more difficult to walk in and no help whatsoever in the 'surviving fifty foot drops' department. At Caroline's insistence, however, Chell put on the shoes and rose unsteadily to her feet, causing Caroline to clap her hands together in glee.

"Perfect! Now, you don't want to keep your sweetheart waiting any longer!"

She winked, and Chell cringed inwardly.

"No, he's _really_ not my-"

Chell was cut off by a gleeful giggle from Caroline as the latter herded her out of the door.

* * *

As Chell wandered around in pursuit of the agreed cafe, she felt herself tugging at her skirt as if convinced that it had shrunk within the five seconds since she'd last tugged at it. The clicking of her heels seemed to ricochet from the surrounding buildings like earth-shattering gunshots, and if it wasn't for the jagged concrete underfoot, she would have long since removed them and continued on with her day barefoot.

She couldn't shake the feeling that each and every person in the bustling street was staring at her. Perhaps the outfit really was far too flashy, or, _oh god_ , perhaps someone had figured out that she was from the future. She nervously swept her gaze across the street, and then she saw _him_ , bringing her thoughts back to the main event of the day.

Wheatley was neatly unkempt as usual, fidgeting with his hands as he stood outside the cafe that Chell very nearly walked straight past, and his expression quickly melted into a relieved smile upon seeing her.

"Ch-Chell! You, uh, you look wonderful! Absolutely stunning!"

He dropped his gaze as soon as it met Chell's, and she could have sworn that his cheeks were just a little bit pinker.

"Oh, uh, thank you. It's one of Caroline's dresses." She tugged at her skirt once more. "You look great too."

"Thanks!" He paused. "Great cafe, this is. They do some nice cake here, y'know."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

A brief silence washed over the pair, neither entirely sure how to proceed.

"Should-" They both began at the same time.

Chell gestured for Wheatley to continue.

"I was just gonna say, um, should we… Should we go in, then?"

Chell nodded, following Wheatley into the store.

Wheatley sauntered up to the counter and leant against it as if trying to be somewhat cool.

"Hey there, could I get a cake and some coffee for me and," he smiled, "the lady?"

Chell resisted the urge to shove him, and instead settled for an eye-roll.

"Of course!" Replied the lady behind the counter. "What type of cake would you like?"

Wheatley froze, somehow not expecting this question.

"I… Uh…" He looked around as if the ceiling or walls would hold the answer.

The lady laughed softly at Chell's exasperated expression. "The black forest cake has been pretty popular recently."

Wheatley's eyes lit up. "Thank you," he sighed, his voice dripping with relief. He cleared his throat in a futile attempt to appear composed once more. "I mean, uh, yes, we'll take some of that then, thank you."

The two of them handed the lady the money, then, once they had their order, sat down at a table in the corner.

The cafe seemed to exude warmth in every way possible. The tables were close together yet cleverly arranged to allow for more than enough room, and the worn wooden floor served as proof of how well-loved the place really was.

"So... " Wheatley began, "what brought you to Aperture?"

"Caroline. She's a friend of mine." Chell took a sip from her coffee.

"Ah! A long time friend?" Wheatley tried to do the same, but flinched as the hot liquid touched his mouth.

Chell took another sip as she averted her gaze. "Yeah. Something like that."

"Well, welcome aboard! There's not a dull day in Aperture, I'll tell you that now." He chuckled to himself. "Tell ya, Mr. Johnson once ordered twice as many potatoes than he needed, and you know what he did with them? He had us all making potato batteries. Toys. For children."

Chell put her cup down with a rather loud thud, her grip tightening around the handle.

"You okay, luv?" He asked delicately.

She nodded.

Wheatley stared at Chell, trying unsuccessfully to read her expression.

With an inwards sigh, he grabbed a fork and took a small bite of the cake.

"Whoa! This cake is brilliant! You _have_ to try it."

He broke off another piece with the fork, leant over the table, and fed it to Chell.

Her face lit up. "You're right! It's-" She broke off, only just realising what he'd done.

Wheatley, who was still leaning over the table, violently flushed red and sat back in his seat. "I'm sorry, I, uh, didn't think. Did not think there. I'm-"

"No, it's… It's okay, really." Chell averted her gaze once more as warmth prickled her cheeks. "It's good cake," she added.

After a pause, Wheatley spoke. "Say, uh, do you fancy going out into town after this? It's just, I mean, it's a nice day and it'd be a shame to waste it and all…"

"Sure, why not."

* * *

Once they'd finished at the cafe they headed back to the street.

"So," Wheatley began as he stretched against the early afternoon sunshine, "what do you wanna do?"

Chell shrugged. "Whatever you think, you know the area better than I do."

"Hmm… Oh, I know! Why don't we…" The faint sound of music caused Wheatley to trail off. "Hang on, was that today? Oh, you'll _love_ this, c'mon!"

He grabbed Chell's hand and took off running, Chell's legs working overtime trying to keep up with Wheatley's colossal strides.

As they ran (or in Chell's case, got pulled) through the alleys, the music got louder and louder until they emerged into the town centre. Classic 80s hits were blasting from heavy-looking speakers that littered the square, rigged with more wires that Chell recalled ever seeing in all her time at Aperture. People were scattered around, all dancing together without a single care in the world. She then looked back at Wheatley, who stood with his hand extended towards her.

"Shall we dance?"

Chell rolled her eyes, then placed her hand on top of his.

Wheatley pulled her close and clasped her free hand with his, then immediately began to swing and spin her around with the music. Each note of the upbeat music fluttered around in Chell's chest, making her feel lighter and lighter until it was almost as though Wheatley's grip was the only thing keeping her from flying up and away with the breeze.

 _How ironic,_ Chell thought.

"Little town party," he shouted between spins, "they hold a couple every year, y'know, just for a little community get-together."

Chell nodded as she gazed around at the ever-growing crowd, feeling a slight pang in her chest as she noticed how close everybody seemed to be.

"It's lovely," she said in a voice just loud enough to be heard over the noise. "It really is."

They spent most of the afternoon there, either dancing or sitting to the side and chatting over a drink. It was only once they noticed the golden hues of sunset that they decided it was about time to head home for the night.

After a solid day in heels, Chell could quite confidently say that she did not see them returning in any way, shape or form to her wardrobe in the foreseeable future. Her feet felt like blocks of lead that were on fire. She was lagging behind Wheatley considerably, as his excellent combination of sensible footwear and long legs quite literally put him a step ahead of her. Or several, in this case.

Wheatley soon noticed; the loud stomping really gave it away, and in one quick motion he turned around and swept Chell up into a bridal carry.

"Teamwork, eh?" He said, clearly very proud of his idea.

He carried her until they got to a point rather close to Caroline's where their paths split, then he let her down with a less than elegant thud.

"Uh, thank you… For agreeing to come with me, I mean. It was fun." Wheatley said, blushing slightly.

"Ah, uh, no worries. I… I had fun too," she replied.

They both stood there silently for a moment, until Wheatley hurriedly spoke up.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow, then."

"Yeah. See you tomorrow."

With a few cheery waves, they both turned and walked away.

* * *

Still smiling, Chell entered Caroline's house, closing the door gently behind her and heading towards the front room where Caroline was sat on the couch.

"Chell!" Caroline greeted her excitedly. "How was it?"

Chell laughed. "I'll tell you everything later."

"Everything?"

"Everything."

The twinkle in Caroline's eyes was frankly terrifying.

"So," Chell began, "what did you get up to today?"

"Ugh, we stood around waiting for Mr. Johnson's delivery all day."

"Did it come?"

"Eventually." She sighed and shook her head. "We caught it just as we were leaving. I came home but Mr. Johnson said he was gonna stay and play with it for a bit. Like a child on Christmas day, he is." She tutted as she leant back on the couch.

"What even is it?" Chell asked with a laugh.

"Moon rocks," Caroline said with a roll of her eyes, but her face fell as soon as she saw Chell's pale expression.

"Caroline," she said quietly, sitting down next to her. "Caroline, promise me you won't go near them. And for the love of god do not touch them. Please, Caroline, promise me." She grabbed Caroline's hands tightly.

"The.. Did something happen? In the future?"

Chell nodded stiffly.

"I… Then yes I promise. I won't go near them. I trust you."

Chell loosened her grip on Caroline's hands, her posture relaxing somewhat.

"But Chell," Caroline added, "Mr. Johnson… It might be too late."


	6. Chapter 6

Two weeks later, Caroline hadn't broken her promise to Chell. Cave, on the other hand, was more involved than ever.

"I still don't think you should be touching that stuff," said Caroline as soon as she heard her office door open.

"Relax, Caroline," Cave replied with his trademark grin. "I've washed it all off."

"Still."

He threw himself down onto his chair and did a little spin. "Still what?" he asked, rolling his chair up to Caroline, who looked down at him like a mother that wasn't _angry,_ just _disappointed._

" _Still,_ you shouldn't be getting it onto your skin in the first place," she snapped. "Don't you remember the Repulsion Gel incident?"

"Ah, but that's the nature of science. We've grown. _Evolved._ This one's a winner. I can feel it."

He struck a rather dramatic pose, but deflated upon seeing Caroline's cynical expression. "Listen, I appreciate your concern, Caroline, I really do. But trust me, okay?"

After a few moments of silence, Caroline sighed. "Yes, sir."

That conversation was repeated in some form many times a day. Of course she wouldn't break her promise to Chell, but every time Cave came through that door with a huge grin and a spark in his eyes, Caroline felt a little bit of weight lift from her chest. _Maybe 'washing it off' actually works,_ she mused.

Then one day, he coughed.

At first it was only small. Caroline figured it was just all the yelling taking its toll. Then she assumed a cold. But then it didn't stop. She was sure she was just being paranoid. Yes, just paranoid. Of _course_ she'd expect the worst after what Chell had said.

Nevertheless, she soon found herself stood outside Chell and Wheatley's office, her hand hovering over the handle. She took a deep breath, plastered a smile on her face and swung the door open.

"Afternoon, Miss Caroline! How can we help ya?" asked Wheatley in his usual chipper way.

"Ah, I'm just popping in to say hello," she said.

"Is everything okay?" Chell asked.

"Oh, yes, yes. Everything's fine, don't worry, my dear." She paused for a moment. "Cave seems to be coming down with a bit of a cough, but that's nothing we can't handle." As an afterthought, she let out a nervous laugh.

Wheatley immediately began talking about every cold remedy his entire extended family (including pets) had ever used. Chell, on the other hand, turned ghostly white.

On the bright side, at least Caroline now knew that she wasn't just being paranoid.

It took a week for Cave to realise that something was wrong, and another to realise exactly _how_ wrong. Acceptance was definitely off the table, however. He'd decided death would have to take him kicking and screaming.

He was determined to make his time count, whether that be months or days. And he'd be damned if that didn't mean having fun.

"Aperture Staff Party. Friday evening in the lobby. All invited," he wheezed down his microphone. "Except John from accounting. You're fired. Effective immediately."

As soon as he switched the microphone off, Caroline entered the room. She carefully placed a mug of coffee down in front of Cave and put one hand on his back.

"A staff party, eh?" she said softly.

"To raise-" he coughed- "To raise morale."

"And you're sure you'll be fit enough?"

"You just watch me."

Caroline laughed lightly. "A true leader." _To the end._

* * *

Wheatley paced up and down his office, a single red rose in hand.

"Hey, Chell," he said, despite the fact that it was only him in the room, "you, me, that party. Whaddya say?" He paused for a moment, the rose outstretched, then he shook his head. "No, no. Too casual, too casual." He cleared his throat and resumed the pacing.

"Hello, Chell. I would like to formally invite to you to attend the party. With me. As… As my date." He shook his head again. "Hey, pretty lady, got a date for that party yet? Oh, no, that's too weird. And what if she says yes? What if that good looking lab boy got to her first? What if-"

"What on earth are you doing?" came a voice from behind him.

Wheatley spun around to see Chell stood in the doorframe. "Oh! Chell! I, uh…" he remembered the rose in his hands and tried to hide it behind his back.

Chell raised a single eyebrow.

"Well, uh, I was wondering, if, you know, you're free… The party… With me… Wanna go?" He thrust the rose into her arms as he flushed to match the colour of the petals.

Chell laughed, causing Wheatley to somehow out-red the roses. "I'd be delighted to."

Friday came before anyone could blink, and before they knew it, the party was upon them.

Caroline had once again gladly risen to the task of dressing Chell up, so very sweetly _insisting_ that Chell should definitely wear the heels.

They approached Aperture together, where they spotted Wheatley waiting outside the door. His tuxedo was very _him,_ with a bow-tie and trousers that were just short enough to show off his odd socks. He saw the two of them approaching and waved.

Caroline gave Chell a sly smile. "Go get 'em," she whispered before tottering off through the front door.

Chell felt her cheeks burn as she approached Wheatley, sincerely hoping that it didn't show.

"S-shall we?" Wheatley asked, holding out his arm.

Chell smiled softly, linking her own arm through his. "Let's go."

Within minutes, Chell discovered that Wheatley was a terrible, _terrible_ dancer. This information wasn't particularly surprising, but experiencing it first-hand was an experience and a half. Although his flailing initially earned him one or two strange looks, people eventually decided to join in once they were sufficiently intoxicated.

"Yeah, that's right!" Wheatley called over the music. "Nice and loose, nice and loose." He demonstrated by wiggling his arms around.

"Like this?" Chell called back, imitating him.

"Perfect! Absolutely brilliant! You're a natural!"

Chell collapsed into a fit of giggles as she grabbed hold of Wheatley's hand.

Wheatley spun her around and pulled her closer, placing one hand on her waist. Chell didn't protest, in fact, she did the same to him. Her heart fluttered. Every fibre of her being was screaming _closer. Closer._ When Chell first looked into his eyes, those brilliant blue eyes, she saw the robot she vowed never to trust again. But now when she looked, she saw something so _human._ So very, very human. And it made her heart sing.

Then the song faded, and the sound of cutlery hitting glass rang out through the air.

With the magic of the moment gone like a leaf in the breeze, they both looked up in curiosity.

Chell potted Cave Johnson hobbling out towards the podium, holding Caroline's arm for support. Caroline had said he was getting worse, but Chell hadn't been prepared for _that._ Judging by the way Wheatley's hand tightened around hers, he hadn't expected it either.

"Everybody, I have an announcement," he said, his voice low and raspy.

In an instant, all sound vanished from the room. You almost wouldn't guess that it was still full to the brim with people.

"I'd like to propose a project. he continued, "A huge project. An _incredible_ project. A project so magnificent we won't even need to use words to tell those jokes over at Black Mesa exactly where to-"

" _Sir."_

Cave cleared his throat. "Right. Sorry, Caroline."

He flicked a switch and the screen lit up behind him.

Chell's stomach dropped to the very bottom of old Aperture as she read the big, bold letters that now filled the wall.

It was like looking into that amber optic all over again.


	7. Chapter 7

"The GLaDOS project," Cave announced, forcing Chell to let the words sink in. "I always said that if I die, I want you to put my brain into a computer. And…"—he let out a hollow laugh— "Well, folks, I might just be dying."

Chell's heartbeat was pounding in her ears as she felt a sudden breath of hope. _Maybe this is it? If Cave becomes GLaDOS, Caroline wouldn't go berserk. They wouldn't need a Wheatley._ Her stomach filled with butterflies. _They could both live. They could both be happy._

"But… It's too late for me now."

Just as she'd come to expect from Aperture, she'd barely had enough time to truly register her hopes before they shattered.

"Caroline… My lovely Caroline," he said, turning to his assistant.

"No… Mr. Johnson…"

"My life's work… My _dream._ My gift..."—he clasped Caroline's hands— "to _you._ "

"Mr. Johnson, I don't want this."

"It's too late for me, Caroline. But _you…"_

"Sir, _I don't want this."_

Caroline scanned the crowd for Chell. Her eyes were pleading, hoping, _begging_ for some reassurance. Chell couldn't look into those eyes.

Not a word was exchanged between the two the whole way home.

"You knew about this, didn't you?" Caroline whispered as soon as the front door was closed.

Chell's silence was all the confirmation she needed.

"Can… Can you save me?"

"I don't know." _Even if it's possible..._

"Can you try?" Caroline's voice was meek. She sounded so delicate, so vulnerable, so… So unlike herself. Chell finally looked into Caroline's eyes. The eyes of a dear, dear friend.

Her heart shattered.

"I can."

* * *

Department by department, the employees of Aperture Science moved upwards to their new, pristine offices. Cave and Caroline were the last, sealing everything away behind that huge, vault door.

It was probably quite symbolic, really. Cave's own little way of showing that his faith in the work below, work he'd poured his soul and half a century into, paled in comparison to the faith he had in the GLaDOS project.

This, however made arguing with him about it harder than ever. For the first time in years, Caroline saw that old spark in his eyes. That spark, that once glorious catalyst, now completely overpowered his frail and feeble frame. It made contradicting him seem downright cruel.

As stubborn as he was, the excitement of the move took its toll on Cave. After putting Caroline in charge, he very reluctantly agreed to spend a week at home, in bed.

* * *

That Monday, Caroline wore her hair differently.

"Ah Caroline," said an engineer that burst through the door, "we need you upstairs for the—"

"Caroline's not here," said Caroline.

"But you're…"

"Marilyn. Charmed."

She held out her hand for the very puzzled engineer to shake.

"What…"

"Oh yes, my dear cousin Caroline asked me to fill in for her whilst she took a quick and urgent trip to… California."

The engineer raised an eyebrow. "Oh really?"

"Yes, sir."

"Well in that case, _Marilyn,_ we're going to need you upstairs to fill in for your _dear cousin._ "

"I'm not entirely sure I can be of any help, I'm afraid. Science isn't exactly my forte," said Caroline, twirling her hair around her fingers.

"Yet you're… _Stepping in..._ At a science company."

"Correct."

"What exactly _is_ your forte then?"

"Baking."

There was almost an audible smash as the engineer's patience flew right out of the window. "Right. Caroline. With me. Now."

With a groan and a sigh, Caroline followed.

* * *

On Tuesday, she headed straight for Chell and Wheatley's office rather than her own.

A different engineer burst through the door. "Ah, there you are, Caroline. We need you for—"

"No Caroline 'ere, mate," she said in her very best Cockney accent. "I'm, uh, Mrs. Stephens. Wheatley's _mum."_

"Wrong accent," Wheatley whispered, disguising his words with a cough.

"I've flown all the way out from Bright— _Bristol_ to see my son at work," she continued, now very poorly attempting to imitate Wheatley.

"Oh really?"

"Yes."

"And you both cleared this with Mr. Johnson?"

"Yep. Yeah. All cleared. Completely fine. Nothing to worry about." Wheatley interrupted, mostly to spare his ears from what was essentially the genocide of his accent.

"Right." He smiled. "So, Mrs. Stephens, how are things back in Bristol?"

"Well, uh," Caroline began, "we're still… In the south-west of England… Still… Still straddling that good ol' River Avon. You know?"

"Uh huh. Okay."—The engineer sighed—"Caroline, you're fooling nobody. With me."

Once again, Caroline shuffled along with a sour look on her face.

* * *

On Wednesday, Chell went to Caroline's office instead. She had her hair loose around her shoulders and wore one of Caroline's dresses, though she'd cleverly switched the heels that usually went with that outfit with a less-ungodly pair of flats.

"Oh, thank God you're here, Caro—" A third engineer trailed off as Chell turned around, a sweet smile painfully plastered on her face.

"Hang on, aren't you that Chell from testing?" he asked.

"No, I'm Caroline," Chell said.

"She's actually doing this," the engineer muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose. He sighed, then looked straight at Chell. "Right, where is she?"

"I don't know what you mean," she replied, fluttering her eyelashes.

"You damn well do."

"Not a clue."

" _Chell."_

" _Caroline,"_ Chell replied with a wink.

A second engineer popped his head through the door. "She's up in testing again," he said.

" _Thank you."_

* * *

On Thursday, to nobody's surprise, Cave Johnson hobbled through the doors. After firing the first three people that told him that he "should really be in bed", he fell into Caroline's arms.

"Sir, you—"

"Caroline, if you finish that sentence I swear I will work an all-nighter just to spite you."

"Yes, sir."

Cave positioned himself so that his arm was around Caroline's shoulders, leaning on her for support.

"Not that I'm insinuating that you're not fit for work, sir…"

"Good."

"But why exactly are you here?"

"Science, Caroline."

With the help of his assistant, Cave managed to lower himself into his new office chair.

"Besides," he continued, "new floor, new pre-recorded messages to make."

Despite herself, Caroline allowed the tiniest of smiles to tug at her lips. "Yes sir, Mr. Johnson."


End file.
